MELVILLE, N.Y., November 5, 2013 – Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, announced today that the Company will offer an optional feature upgrade for the EOS C100 Digital Video camera which will support innovative Dual Pixel CMOS AF autofocus technology, enabling continuous autofocusing with Canon’s entire EF lens lineupi. This optional upgrade is expected to be available in February 2014 for a cost of $500.00 and will require the EOS C100 camera body to be shipped to a Canon service center.

The Canon feature upgrade will provide the EOS C100 camera (first introduced in November 2012) with greatly improved autofocus (AF) functionality made possible through Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology. First employed in the EOS 70D digital SLR camera launched in August 2013, the innovative new AF technology helps facilitate greater shooting efficiency across a variety of shooting situations. For users that work with moving subjects, this optional Dual Pixel CMOS AF upgrade for the EOS C100 camera will allow for a smoother, more natural autofocus that can be particularly useful for video markets like documentary, sports, event and wildlife.

Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF makes use of the Company’s proprietary CMOS sensor technology with a new structure that both captures light and performs phase-difference detection autofocus. While focusing on the EOS C100 camera is primarily performed manually, the feature upgrade will enable smooth continuous AF, a capability that can be particularly beneficial when operating with a small production crew, electronic news gathering, or run-and-gun documentary-style shoots.

The Dual Pixel CMOS AF functionality offered through the feature upgrade supports continuous AF with all compatible Canon EF lenses for subjects positioned in the center of the imaging area. The complementary use of the contrast signal achieves advanced AF stability that helps reduce the occurrence of image blur. Also, the inclusion of an AF Lock function contributes to expanded shooting flexibility through focus preset, which allows users to set a desired focus distance in advance, and the ability to alter the photographing range or composition after establishing focus.

This optional feature upgrade increases the speed of the EOS C100 camera’s One-Shot AF function by approximately two-times, which enables users to focus on a subject located at the center of the screen with the push of a button, a feature that is currently supported on 104 Canon EF lens modelsii.

Once again, cool stuff for videographers.Hey Canon, we are here too, photographers ! Hope you can remember me, your client, for the AutoISO exposure compensation in the 5D3 M mode. Just in case you've forgotten.Also do something to bring the smile back to my face. Make me proud being with you. That's me,Your 10 years client!

HOW can the C100 be upgraded to dual-pixel AF without putting in a new sensor and (some) new electronics and new firmware?

Even if they used a 50mm 1.8 this should'nt be a problem. I think no one using a C100 or higher uses the built-in mic. Does the C100 even have a built-in microphone? Same goes for the 70D, als long as you use external audio, no lens could be loud enough to appear on your auidotrack.

HOW can the C100 be upgraded to dual-pixel AF without putting in a new sensor and (some) new electronics and new firmware?

The new sensor must always have been in there. However, most likely, all the new software and calibration necessary for all the lenses was not done yet at that time, so it they release the camera without that functionality.Now, what they may have to put in is at least new firmware, but maybe the firmware takes more memory than the old chip can handle, so a new memory chip needs to be installed. There may also be additional chips, i.e. circuitry that needs to be put in to process the dual chip phase signal. Maybe in the original version they only used the sensor in its "normal" mode (dual pixels merged), which would required a less complicated processing circuitry.

also, with the dual pixel sensor replacement, would they need to install a touch screen for implementation? If they offered this for my 5d 3, i may just take them up on the offer... replacing the almost 2 year old sensor (assuming they offer this in the spring 2014) future proofing the camera... may take away the knee jerk need to upgrade to the 5d4 as quickly..

I think this would be pretty cool upgrade if I could see how well it performed. Autofocus is usually a feature on consumer cameras and acts as such. I think most of us would like to see an upgrade on the codec quality. I would readily pay $500 for a better codec. Many C100 owners already pay $1000 for a better codec via an external recorder.

Saw this news yesterday on a few other sites as it's a pretty significant announcement. However, all that was reported at CR was a new Tamron lens and a new Nikon camera....just saying.

The new sensor must always have been in there. However, most likely, all the new software and calibration necessary for all the lenses was not done yet at that time, so it they release the camera without that functionality.Now, what they may have to put in is at least new firmware, but maybe the firmware takes more memory than the old chip can handle, so a new memory chip needs to be installed. There may also be additional chips, i.e. circuitry that needs to be put in to process the dual chip phase signal. Maybe in the original version they only used the sensor in its "normal" mode (dual pixels merged), which would required a less complicated processing circuitry.